in this essay, i'll prove that my brother is actually kid danger
by kadtherine
Summary: Piper likes to think that she's smarter than people give her credit for. Smart enough to know that her brother isn't stupid enough to slip on his own poop and break his arm while doing so.


**A/N :** **AU, in which obviously Piper finds out about Henry being Kid Danger. It takes place after** _Broken Armed and Dangerous,_ **so spoilers. duh.**

 **(I don't own anything.)**

Piper likes to think that she's smarter than people give her credit. Smart enough to know that her brother isn't as stupid and clueless as he pretends to be. Smart enough to know that her brother isn't stupid enough to slip on his poop and break his arm while doing so. Piper prides herself in being an observant, perceptive person – she already knows that her observation skills and cunning mind will shape her into one great lawyer, one day. And as she watches Jasper carefully drag Henry's from her podium, she notices the two boys' relief as they retreat to a dark corner, away from microphones and prying eyes.

Her gaze snaps to Charlotte, the latter standing next to the two weirdos from that flinging company, and notices the other girl's irritation as she glares at the two older men. Piper notices the familiarity between the three and the way they seem to cower under Charlotte's glare before quickly making an hasty exit. Piper notices Henry blowing a large breath, letting his head fall back as he goes to stand next to Charlotte. She notices Charlotte's widening her eyes at him, her arms crossed around the chest. Her entire posture screams __I told you so__ and she doesn't have to speak up for the message to come across. Jasper waggles his eyebrows at her while Henry lets out a sigh and nods, massaging his shoulder with a small grimace. Piper can't find herself able to tear her eyes from her brother.

Her eyes feel dry and she feels panic build up in her chest, because the longer she stares, the more it becomes real. Pieces of puzzle fit in her mind and though she likes to think that she's smarter than people give her credit for, she can't help but kick herself for her own stupidity and obliviousness. Even though Piper prides herself for being observant, she can't help but feel angry at missing the obvious reality. She feels a burst of anger, her fists clenching on their own accords. She blinks, looking up so the tears building up in her eyes don't roll down her cheeks. Piper clears her throat and plasters a smile on her face, laughing and signing along the few remaining children in the halls.

* * *

Piper keeps quiet and makes sure not cross path with Henry or either of her brother's friends. She keeps quiet in the backseat of Jasper's car, shoving earbuds in so she doesn't have to contribute to any conversation. For a second, Piper thinks about lowering the volume, just to see if they'd talk about __it.__ She doesn't. Instead, she leans back and kicks the back of Henry's seat, stopping when he moves forward with an irritated sigh only to sink back in with a poorly concealed wince. She keeps quiet and pretends not to see the looks Charlotte and Jasper send her, barely waiting for the car in front of their house before she unbuckles herself.

Piper keeps quiet when she's left alone with Henry. Unsurprisingly, their parents aren't here and the note stuck on the kitchen counter informs them that they won't be back until later, leaving Henry in charge. For once, he doesn't protest about him having to work and Piper thinks that it's got as much to do with his broken arm than the dark circles under his eyes. It's a Friday, so he doesn't bother her with homework and instead asks if she's okay with pizza for dinner. Piper responds with a simple thumbs-up, not looking up from her phone as she falls in the couch.

Piper keeps quiet until pizzas have been consumed and both of them are on slouching on the couch, playing __Super Mario Bros.__ She doesn't get as much pleasure in watching Henry struggle with his own controller as she thought she would. She barely have to try to win and for some reason, it makes her __so__ angry. Clenching her jaw, she focuses her attention on Henry instead of the screen.

"Hey Hen," Piper starts, her tone nonchalant. He hums, shooting her a look from the corner of his eyes, "how did you really break your arm?"

Henry gives a light scoff, rolling his shoulder at the mere mention. "I already told you, I told the __entire__ school. Don't really want to relive the humiliation if that's alright with you."

"Do you expect me to actually believe that excuse?" Piper retorts, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"What do you want me to say, Piper?" Henry sighs, sinking deeper into the couch. She notices that his eyes stay focused on the screen, his hand clenched around the controller. "That I'm actually Kid Danger? Come on, we've been through this already."

She pauses the game, ignoring Henry's aggravated groan. "Why would you go through the effort of hiding your broken arm with a sweater that clearly isn't yours. Also, where did you get your fake arm?"

"I don't know, Walmart?" Henry says, throwing his controller on the coffee table, "why does it matter?"

It matters because Piper doesn't like to be taken for an idiot. It matters because her brother has been lying to her for years, using lame excuses after lame excuses, and she had fallen for it every time. It matter because Piper's pretty much convinced that Charlotte and Jasper know about it. Charlotte, she can't understand but Jasper? Jasper can't keep a secret to save his life and would cave at the lightest pressure. It matters because she can perfectly imagine them laughing at her whenever she'd believe them. It matters because, despite everything, Henry is one of the few people that she trusts and relies on.

Piper doesn't say anything and stares at Henry, the latter obviously avoiding her gaze as he lightly drums his fingers against his cast. She lets out an unamused snort.

"You have a tell, y'know?" That seems to get his attention. Piper nods when he turns to look at her, his brow furrowed. "You always wave your hands when you lie, like you're trying to distract us into buying your lousy excuses," she says, giving jazz hands, "You've also got this little wrinkle between your eyes and scrunch up your nose. Y'know, as if you didn't believe your own lies."

This time, Henry is the one staring, a muscle in his jaw ticking as he grits his teeth together. Piper doesn't feel any satisfaction at his lack of protesting. Then again, she hadn't felt much since this morning. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she crosses her legs and shrugs.

"You don't have to tell me. I get why you never told me in the first place, I mean," she breathes out a self-deprecating chuckle, shaking her head. "I'm not the most trust-worthy person, that's a fact. And I didn't give you much reasons to trust me, but," Piper shrugs again, trying to ignore the prickling behind her eyes, "I always thought that the person who'd give me the benefit of the doubt would be my own brother."

Piper sniffs and god, __can she be more pathetic?__ Pinching the bridge of her nose, she bends her head, shaking her hair until it covers her face. She rubs her face on her shoulder, her fingers playing with the pendant of her anklet. She doesn't look up when Henry clears his throat, the sudden movement to her right startles Piper enough for her to glance from the corner of her eyes. Henry pushes himself up with his good arm, cradling his right one to his chest as he sits up. She looks away when he knocks his knee into hers.

"Let's talk hypotheticals," he says and Piper bites the inside of her cheek to swallow the sarcastic ' _ _woah, big word for you to use!'__ "What if I, hypothetically, was Kid Danger?"

Piper can't help but snort at that. " _ _Hypothetically."__

"Want to add airquotes while you're at it?" Henry retorts, his tone dry. She looks up and sees the amused smile tugging at his lips. Piper shrugs, leaning back into the couch, and he takes it as his cue to keep talking. "I would've taken an oath, right? Y'know, sort of a contract that didn't allow me to reveal my identity to anyone, not even my sister."

For some reason, Piper plays along and asks, "In that hypothetical scenario, do you break that contract and tell both of your best friends you're Kid Danger?"

"In that hypothetical scenario, one of my best friends finds out on her own, while the other," he grimaces, cocking his head to the side, "finds out on accident. Anyway," Henry racks a hand through his hair, crossing a leg over the other, "it's fun, right? Being Captain Man's sidekick, there are worse after-school jobs. You get to have those cool superpowers, a suit and fans and-"

Piper frowns when he pauses, a faraway look in his eyes, his brow furrowed in thought. Piper gives a light cough and Henry startles, blinking at her before he clears his throat again and plasters a smile on his face.

"You also get to fight these villains, some more ridiculous than others. Dangerous, nonetheless," he emphasizes that particular point with an arched eyebrow and pointed look, "that sometimes, somehow manages to get through to you. To those people who you care about, like random example, Dr Maniac breaking into your house because your sister happens to be the President of the Man-Fans."

Piper returns the look. "Are we still talking hypothetically?"

"Duh," Henry rolls his eyes, "what I'm trying to say is that if I was Kid Danger and I was hiding my identity from you, I didn't do it because I don't trust you. I did it to protect you."

 _ _I don't need protection,__ Piper thinks, slightly irritated, and she's about to voice her thought only to find herself speechless when met with Henry's gaze. His eyes are wide and earnest and Piper's mad at herself for not being able to be mad anymore. She doesn't think Henry knows the effect this simple look has. Or maybe he does, and is desperate for her to trust her. Piper finds herself comparing Henry and Kid Danger for the umpteenth time that day, and she understands why people would trust him. Why Swellview would rely on him to the save the day and look after the city, no matter what. After all, Piper had relied on Henry long before he had become Kid Danger. She has no reason to stop now.

"That makes sense," Piper mutters to herself, "y'know, hypothetically speaking. I'd understand why you wouldn't say anything."

"Yeah," Henry chuckles, "hypothetically speaking."

They keep quiet for a moment - and for the first time since the entire ordeal, the silence is peaceful. Henry's smile doesn't seem fake and his tense shoulders are relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted off them. The moment stretches and though Piper will admit that she loves her brother – on special occasions and in a private, secured environment – they're slowly sliding into a hug, mushy territory. Maybe they're already there. But Piper has a reputation to protect.

"What doesn't make sense, though," Piper says, grabbing the controller from her lap and unpausing the game, "is you losing so badly. Like, it's pathetic. I almost feel sorry for you, bro."

Henry scoffs and leans forward, trying to catch up with her. "I've got a broken arm, dude!"

Piper rolls her eyes and mimics in a mocking voice, " _ _I've got a broken arm, dude.__ Urgh, l _ _aaaa__ me."

Henry, being the eldest child, responds in a very mature manner and tries to kick the controller out of her hands. They spent the next half-hour playing, the silence filled with Piper maniacal laughter and Henry's aggravated groans. Piper notices Henry dozing off of times during their fourth round before his head jerks back up, wide eyes opened. She also notices the way he winces and rubs his arm each time. So, being the good sister that she is, Piper fakes a yawn and stretches her arms over her head, announcing that she's going to turn in for the night. Henry gives her a dismissive wave, stretching on the couch when she gets up to load the dishwasher and put the pizza boxes away.

Henry has his eyes closed when she walks back into the living room to turn off the tv. Piper knows he's not sleeping, but that doesn't stop her from draping a colt over him. He hums and uses his good arm to pillow his head. Piper rolls her eyes and grabs the armchair's pillow, throwing over his face. She smirks when he groans, skipping to the stairs.

Piper stops on the staircase landing, turning around to see Henry scrolling through his phone. "Hey Hen," she calls. Henry hums and hisses himself up with his elbow. "Thanks."

He frowns and cocks his head to the side, "For what? Losing badly at __Super Mario Bros?"__

She huffs out a small laugh at that and shakes her head. __Thanks for looking after the city. For looking after me. For trusting me.__ "You know why," Piper says.

Before disappearing out of sight, Piper catches notice the small, giddy smile at the corner of his mouth and reminds herself to be especially annoying in the morning.

 **A/N** **: Hope you liked it, I definitely enjoyed writing for this fandom, with these characters ! Please, pretty please, leave a comment and I love you forever.**

 **Until next time, dudes!**

 **Kadi.**


End file.
